Scottish Executive

Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to paragraph 1.10 of the Draft Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill: Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment , on what basis it determined that an absolute right to buy for tenant farmers could result in a legal challenge under the European Convention of Human Rights unless it compensated landlords for the cost of lost investment and how it calculated the exemplified total cost of such investment.

Ross Finnie: The Executive believes that the creation of an absolute right to buy could result in landowners incurring loss in the value of their assets. We also believe that a court of law might view provisions introducing an absolute right to buy as amounting to an interference of the enjoyment of the landlord’s possessions.

  As such, the provisions would be unlikely to comply with the provisions of Article 1 of the First Protocol to the European Convention of Human Rights if the Executive did not also ensure that landlords were reasonably compensated for their losses.

  Blight on the property would arise from the creation of the absolute right to buy because it would materially affect the private right of a landowner to determine how long they owned, used and obtained income from that holding. We believe the price a potential purchaser would be prepared to pay for such a holding would decrease in such a situation. This would reduce its value to the existing landlord.

  A cost of the order of £100 million was estimated initially by the Land Policy Review Group in 1998. It was used to illustrate the likely scale of compensation involved. While we cannot exactly quantify the extent to which an absolute right to buy could depress land values (as the group could not), we estimate that each reduction of 1% in the "marriage value" of holdings with traditional secure tenancies could attract a potential compensation bill of around £20 million. This is based upon estimates of the area of land under traditional secure tenancy arrangement and appropriate average land valuations. The actual figure may be higher, depending upon the fall in value experienced and the type of tenant eligible to exercise the absolute right to buy (e.g. if general partners in a limited partnership holding a secure tenancy were included).

  We believe that the costs of compensating a landowner would fall to the Executive following the creation of an absolute right to buy. While it might theoretically only fall to be paid when the landowner chose to realise the value of his or her asset or when a tenant chose to exercise the right, the blight would cover all affected land, even if a tenant did not seek to exercise this right. When the landowner’s loss fell to be paid, it could not be transferred to tenants who did not wish to exercise their absolute right to buy. We believe it could also be very difficult if not impossible to devise a mechanism which transferred the landlord’s loss to a tenant exercising this right in a way that guaranteed, over a long period of time, that landowners would be adequately compensated for the loss in their asset value without this being reflected in the price a purchasing tenant might have to pay. It is also worth noting that the tenant could have to pay for any transaction costs incurred by a landlord selling against his or her will as well as for any injurious affection.

Ambulance Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is liable for any costs incurred by private ambulance companies which are contracted to provide support, including appliances and equipment, at cultural, sporting or other events and, if so, what these costs are in respect of, why the SAS is so liable and what the extent of its liability is.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service does not subcontract to private ambulance services, therefore it is not liable for any costs incurred by such companies.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28190 by Ross Finnie on 30 August 2002, what average level of subsidy payment was made to farmers under the main Common Agricultural Policy schemes for the scheme year 2000.

Ross Finnie: The average level of subsidy payment made to farmers who claimed under the main Common Agricultural Policy schemes for the scheme year 2000 is £19,000.

Dentistry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places there were and what the ratio of applications to places available was at each dental school in each of the last three years and what the figures are for the current year.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested by the member is currently being collated. I am awaiting a response from Dundee Dental School. Once complete, I will write to the member with a full response and place a copy in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Domestic Abuse

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Group on Domestic Abuse will examine any links between cruelty to animals and various forms of domestic abuse, including cruelty to children.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are currently no plans for the national group to look at links between domestic abuse and cruelty to animals.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what controls exist on the regulation of air emissions from industrial complexes involved in brewing beer.

Allan Wilson: Breweries which have an average finished production capacity greater than 300 tonnes per day are regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (PPC). This includes the control of emissions to air. New breweries and those that undergo substantial changes in operation come under PPC regulation immediately. Existing breweries will be subject to PPC controls from 2005.

  Odour and noise from all breweries are regulated by the local authority, either through conditions in a planning consent or through the statutory nuisance controls in Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Executive Agencies

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are available to a minister to hold the chief executive of an executive agency accountable when the minister is dissatisfied with the operation of that agency.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to answers given to questions S1W-27941, 27942 and 27943 on 22 August 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5476 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 September 2002, whether it will list all contingent liabilities it has entered into, detailing the amount of each liability and indicating whether these liabilities are shown on its financial balance sheets or budgets and, if so, where.

Mr Andy Kerr: The audited annual consolidated resource accounts of the Scottish Executive provide details on quantifiable contingent liabilities. The accounts for the financial year ended 31 March 2001 were laid before the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish ministers in February 2002 (these accounts are available on the Scottish Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/finance/ConsolidatedAccounts.pdf. 

  Note 20 provides details of contingent liabilities, though not at the level of detail requested. The table accordingly provides the necessary detail:

  


Description 
  

Amount
(£ million) 
  



Indemnity cover to owners of objects lent under the National 
  Heritage Act 1980 and the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 
  1985 
  


822.5 
  



Housing Act guarantees 
  

4.2 
  



NHS overdraft guarantees 
  

2.5 
  



Local Government Act – overdraft guarantees for Water Authorities 
  

25.0 
  



Indemnity on St. Andrew’s bus station title 
  

1.5 
  



Northern Isles Ferry service tendering exercise 
  

27.0 
  



Sub total 
  

882.7 
  



Legal claims in relation to alleged medical or third party 
  negligence against NHS bodies within the Scottish Executive 
  departmental accounting boundary 
  


33.0 
  



Total 
  

915.7 
  



  The annual accounts for the financial year 31 March 2002 will contain the equivalent information for that financial year. These amounts are not included within the Scottish Executive Balance Sheet: since the liabilities are, by definition, contingent they do not meet the definition of liabilities to be reflected on balance sheet. This accounting treatment is in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 12 as applied to the Scottish Executive by the Resource Accounting Manual.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many escapes of salmon from salmon farms were reported in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000, (d) 2001 and (e) 2002.

Allan Wilson: The numbers of reported escape incidents were as follows:

  


1998 
  

4 
  



1999 
  

16 
  



2000 
  

22 
  



2001 
  

14 
  



2002 to date 
  

8

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many escapes of salmon from salmon farms were reported where incidents of infectious pancreatic necrosis have also been reported in each year since 1979.

Allan Wilson: The available information for escape incidents is as follows:

  


1995 
  

1 
  



1998 
  

2 
  



1999 
  

7 
  



2000 
  

10 
  



2001 
  

2 
  



2002 to date 
  

7

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reported cases of infectious pancreatic necrosis amongst farmed salmon have occurred in (a) Shetland, (b) Orkney, (c) the Western Isles, (d) Skye, (e) Highland Region and (f) Argyll in each year since 1979.

Allan Wilson: The information requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Fisheries Research Services will reply to the member with information as close as possible to that requested and will place a copy in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are dependent upon scallop fishing for their livelihood.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not hold details of people dependent on scallop fishing. However, of the 202 Scottish boats licensed to fish for scallops in 2001, 62 caught no other species.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the proposals of the Food Standards Agency on a tiered scallop testing regime will have on the future existence of the scallop industry and what steps it will take to ensure that the proposals do not have any adverse effect.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Food Standards Agency is preparing a Regulatory Impact Assessment, which will provide a clear assessment of the likely effect of these proposals. Relative to the alternative options of a system based on whole animal testing, the tiered approach should result in larger areas of the scallop fishery remaining open for longer periods, albeit with tight controls on those products which can be placed on the market.

Food Standards

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what agency is responsible for monitoring and enforcing relevant legislation and regulations concerning the composition of bottled drinking water.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Food Standards Agency is the central competent authority responsible for legislation in relation to bottled drinking water. Local authorities in Scotland enforce the regulations, which govern the composition of bottled drinking water on behalf of the agency. The agency has the function of monitoring and auditing the performance of local authorities.

Forward Scotland

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how Forward Scotland reports its activities to it and the Parliament and how the body is held accountable.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Forward Scotland and a representative from the Sustainable Development Team attends board meetings as an observer. The Auditor General for Scotland may carry out an examination of Forward Scotland under section 23 of the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000.

  A wide range of information about Forward Scotland’s activities is available on its website (www.forward-scotland.org.uk). Forward Scotland will also produce an Annual Report. Forward Scotland would be happy to discuss their activities with any member.

Genetically Modified Crops

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dairy herds are fed with foodstock containing genetically modified materials.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is carried out to ensure that dairy herds are not fed foodstocks containing genetically modified material.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that information is not held centrally on livestock fed genetically modified (GM) feed and feed materials. There is, however, a fact sheet entitled "GM Material in Animal Feed" on the agency’s website at:

  www.food.gov.uk/science/sciencetopics/gmfoods/gm-animal.

Glasgow Science Centre

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a full report has been made available to it on the financial and business issues affecting the Glasgow Science Centre.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has been kept informed by Scottish Enterprise and the Millennium Commission of financial issues at the Glasgow Science Centre.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the algorithms being used by NHS 24 to determine advice dispensed in response to patient enquiries are published and, if so, where a copy can be obtained.

Malcolm Chisholm: The algorithms are a copyrighted product used under licence by NHS 24 and are not widely available. NHS 24 involved Scottish clinicians in an extensive programme of structured review and adaptation of the algorithms in 2001. NHS 24 also arranges for clinicians to view the system on which the algorithms sit as required, and will share specific examples in order to gain clinical confidence in the algorithms and the decision support system used by it. However, the algorithms on their own are not the clinical end product and they need to be used by experienced and trained nurses to provide the NHS 24 service.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how NHS 24 satisfied the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland that the algorithms it is employing meet approved clinical standards.

Malcolm Chisholm: The algorithms, or series of logically structured questions, were initially developed by an American clinical software company. During 2001, NHS 24 involved Scottish clinicians in an extensive programme of structured review and adaptation of the algorithms, known as the "Airth Process".

  The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) was informed of the detail of the "Airth Process" and acknowledged the process as an example of good practice. This process involved a clinical review of the algorithms by some 50 practising clinicians, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, surgeons, accident and emergency consultants, paediatricians and other specialists, to incorporate best evidence or best practice where it existed, including reference to Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network guidelines. The review meetings took place in a structured manner allowing clinicians to concentrate on ensuring the algorithms were appropriately adapted to the Scottish clinical situation.

  NHS 24 is also implementing a quality strategy plan to demonstrate, among other things, the clinical effectiveness of its processes and is discussing with CSBS how an external review process should be put in place.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances NHS 24 would breach its website claim of confidentiality for callers.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS 24 is a confidential service for the public. The confidentiality extends to the standard NHS interpretation of "confidentiality" and all clinical and other patient information is bound by standard NHS confidentiality regulations. All patients are asked, in every consultation, whether they consent to information being passed on to their GP or other relevant service in order for them to obtain further care. If a patient requests that the information should not be transferred, then this will be respected.

  However, there are clearly situations where patients or others may be at significant risk – for example, where issues of child protection arise. Under these circumstances information may require to be shared among the social, health care or police services contrary to the patient's expressed wish. These circumstances are extremely rare and NHS 24 staff are trained in order to both recognise and deal with these situations in a sensitive and professional manner.

Higher Education

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the next stage of the report on a university of the south of Scotland will be published.

Iain Gray: The report Higher Education in the South of Scotland , launched in Dumfries by Wendy Alexander on 24 October 2001, was the final report of the South of Scotland University Steering Group.

  As recommended in the report, the Scottish Funding Councils were asked to establish a group of the main interests involved in providing higher education in the south, to take forward higher education and continuing professional development and to monitor progress; and to report to ministers in two years time, and submit an interim report in one year. I expect to receive the interim report early next year.

Historic Buildings

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a fundamental incompatibility between the full and tasteful restoration of historic buildings for contemporary use and the ability to interpret such buildings for their historic interest.

Dr Elaine Murray: There is no fundamental incompatibility. However, a basic distinction may be drawn between the adaptation for contemporary use of an occupied historic building and the restoration of a ruinous ancient monument. In the former case, where the historic interest may lie primarily in its architectural design, there generally need be no fundamental incompatibility between the adaptation of the building and our ability to interpret its historic interest. However, in the case of a ruinous structure, where the interest may be more likely to lie in our ability to document its historic importance and use, the very act of restoration may hide the evidence that allows the building’s structural history to be interpreted by visitors. By way of example, people living in a restored medieval castle do not normally wish to live within bare walls, but to cover these with plaster: this hides important evidence for the structural history of the building.

Historic Buildings

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what examples it has of historic buildings which have been fully restored for contemporary use which have not removed the historic interest and the ability to interpret the history of the building and what role Historic Scotland played in the outcome achieved.

Dr Elaine Murray: Listed building consent is required for the alteration or extension of a listed building in any manner that would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. Scottish Executive policy on listed building consent is set out in the Memorandum of Guidance on listed buildings and conservation areas . Over 2,500 listed buildings receive listed building consent each year. The restoration of a scheduled ancient monument is subject to different procedures and restoration may remove a standing structure’s scheduled status.

  Every alteration to or restoration of a historic building has some positive and some negative effects on the preservation of historic fabric and our appreciation of it. The decision on whether or not to restore has to weigh these in the balance.

  There are a range of examples of listed buildings and scheduled monuments being restored each year. Fenton Tower in East Lothian is a good example as it was both scheduled and listed (at Category A). The Tower is a late 16th century/early 17th century towerhouse standing in agricultural land near North Berwick. It had been missing its roof and floors since at least the 19th century and was typical of a wide range of similar structures in Scotland. Historic Scotland was involved in the restoration of Fenton Tower on behalf of Scottish ministers. Working closely with the project team, Historic Scotland gave extensive advice, granted scheduled monument and listed building consents for the works and grant-aided some of the costs of reinstatement of the historic fabric.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Historic Scotland provides ministers or officials with draft answers to parliamentary questions concerning that agency.

Dr Elaine Murray: Ministers reply to questions relating to policy issues based on drafts provided by Historic Scotland officials. Historic Scotland’s Chief Executive replies to questions on operational matters.

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the nature is of the delegation of decisions and/or powers from ministers to officials of Historic Scotland; whether such delegation is explicitly specified; when such delegation was given; whether ministers will publish all documentation which specifies the nature and range of such delegation; whether there has been any change to the nature of such delegation within the last year, and, if so, what these changes were.

Dr Elaine Murray: The information requested is contained in Historic Scotland’s Framework Document 2001 , a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 12376).

Historic Scotland

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what statutes, treaties, conventions and other provisions gave rise to the powers and duties of Historic Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: Historic Scotland is an Executive Agency within the Scottish Executive’s Education Department and is directly accountable to Scottish ministers and, through them, to the Scottish Parliament. The agency’s Framework Document, which is agreed by Scottish ministers, sets out its role and responsibilities. All functions performed by the agency are carried out on behalf of Scottish ministers.

  Legislation governing Scotland’s built heritage either empowers or places a duty on Scottish ministers, who then direct Historic Scotland to meet all aspects of their built heritage functions.

  The main legislation under which Historic Scotland acts, on behalf of Scottish ministers, is as follows:

  Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953;

  Protection of Wrecks Act 1973;

  Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, and

  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997

  The agency’s work will also be guided by the Valetta Convention to which the UK Government has subscribed.

Historic Sites

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the request by the Society of William Wallace to mark and identify the tombs of former Scottish Kings including Malcolm Canmore, Edgar, Alexander I, David I, Alexander II, Alexander III and Robert II.

Dr Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Historic Scotland has no plans to mark and identify the tombs of former Scottish Kings, including Malcolm Canmore, Edgar, Alexander I, David I, Alexander II, Alexander III and Robert II. Alexander II is buried in Melrose Abbey, cared for by Historic Scotland on behalf of Scottish ministers, and this is noted in the official guidebook. Robert II is buried at Scone Abbey and the other kings mentioned are all buried in that part of Dunfermline Abbey which is not in the care of Historic Scotland.

Justice

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gave, when appointing Lord Cameron of Lochbroom, Lord Coulsfield and Lord MacLean as High Court judges, to whether they were or had been members of the Speculative Society of Edinburgh and, if any were members, whether it is aware of whether they still are.

Mr Jim Wallace: The judges referred to were appointed in 1989, 1987 and 1990 respectively. The Speculative Society was founded in 1764, and is a debating society for lawyers, advocates and other professionals. I did not consider it appropriate for ministers to take any interest in whether a particular judge may be a member of this society.

Libraries

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the full range of books published in Scotland and written by Scottish authors is supplied to libraries.

Dr Elaine Murray: Statutory responsibility for local libraries lies with local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for determining the level of resources allocated for the library service which they provide for the residents of their area. This includes the purchasing of books.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any increase since 1990 in the number of patients diagnosed with a mental illness repeatedly seeking hospitalisation due to any reduction in the number of in-patient beds.

Malcolm Chisholm: In all cases the aim is to match care to assessed needs. This can involve a mix of hospital and community based care, as an individual's needs change. Where re-admission is required this is of course arranged. The aim overall is to provide the right care where and when it is needed in each case.

  There has been a planned reduction of in-patient beds, which reflects the policy of providing more care and support from community settings where this is appropriate. Information on hospital in-patient beds and patients admitted are provided in the following tables. The underlying reason for re-admissions cannot be identified.

  Table 1: Trends in Average Occupied Hospital Beds and Available Staffed Hospital Beds in Psychiatry Years Ending 31 March 1990 to 31 March 2002, Scotland1,2,3,4

  


Year Ending 31 March 
  

Average Available Staffed Beds 
  

Average Occupied Beds 
  

Average % Occupancy 
  



1990 
  

 14,407 
  

 12,634 
  

87.7 
  



1991 
  

 13,927 
  

 12,159 
  

87.3 
  



1992 
  

 13,251 
  

 11,640 
  

87.8 
  



1993 
  

 12,561 
  

 11,179 
  

89.0 
  



1994 
  

 11,727 
  

 10,289 
  

87.7 
  



1995 
  

 11,034 
  

 9,754 
  

88.4 
  



1996 
  

 10,392 
  

 9,084 
  

87.4 
  



1997 
  

 9,580 
  

 8,358 
  

87.2 
  



1998 
  

 9,076 
  

 7,791 
  

85.8 
  



1999 
  

 8,674 
  

 7,358 
  

84.8 
  



2000 
  

 8,145 
  

 6,917 
  

84.9 
  



2001 
  

 7,760 
  

 6,547 
  

84.4 
  



2002 
  

 7.306 
  

 6,216 
  

85.1 
  



  Source: ISD Scotland [Form: ISD(S)1].

  Notes:

  1. NHS locations include any joint-user and contractual hospitals providing the service.

  2. Average available staffed beds: borrowed and temporary beds are included. Derived as: all available staffed beds/days in period.

  3. Average occupied beds - Derived as: all occupied beds/days in period.

  4. Data for 2002 are provisional.

  Table 2: In-Patient Admissions to Hospital Psychiatric Beds Years Ending 31 March 1990 to 31 March 2001, Scotland1,2,3,

  


Year Ending 31 March 
  

No. of Patients 
  

No. of Episodes 
  

Average No. of Episodes Per Patient 
  



1990 
  

20,478 
  

29,644 
  

1.45 
  



1991 
  

20,589 
  

30,372 
  

1.48 
  



1992 
  

20,375 
  

29,955 
  

1.47 
  



1993 
  

20,238 
  

29,639 
  

1.46 
  



1994 
  

20,151 
  

29,823 
  

1.48 
  



1995 
  

20,169 
  

30,172 
  

1.50 
  



1996 
  

20,092 
  

30,245 
  

1.51 
  



1997 
  

20,724 
  

31,674 
  

1.53 
  



1998 
  

20,793 
  

32,150 
  

1.55 
  



1999 
  

20,701 
  

31,624 
  

1.53 
  



2000 
  

20,230 
  

30,985 
  

1.53 
  



2001 
  

19,642 
  

30,197 
  

1.54 
  



  Source: ISD Linked Database, September 2002.

  Notes:

  1. Each patient is counted only once in each year.

  2. Excludes admissions to the learning disabilities specialty.

  3. Data for 2001 are provisional.

NHS Boards

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what access each NHS board has to interpretation services.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is committed to ensuring equity of access to all health services. NHS boards are responsible for arranging interpreting services for all patients that require them.

  Fair for All: Working Together Towards Culturally-Competent Services (Bib. number 24244) provides guidance for NHS boards on the provision of interpreting and translation services for minority ethnic communities.

  Good Practice Guidance has been issued to NHS boards to support the implementation of section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act (Bib. number 7233) which outlines the steps to be taken to ensure that physical disability proves no barrier to accessing services. All NHS boards are required to provide a British Sign Language interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing people where appropriate.

National Parks

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates since May 1997 (a) ministers, (b) its officials and (c) officials from Scottish Natural Heritage have met The Highland Council to discuss proposals for the Cairngorms National Park.

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates since May 1997 (a) ministers, (b) its officials and (c) officials from Scottish Natural Heritage have met Moray Council to discuss proposals for the Cairngorms National Park.

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates since May 1997 (a) ministers, (b) its officials and (c) officials from Scottish Natural Heritage have met Aberdeenshire Council to discuss proposals for the Cairngorms National Park.

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates since May 1997 (a) ministers, (b) its officials and (c) officials from Scottish Natural Heritage have met Perth and Kinross Council to discuss proposals for the Cairngorms National Park.

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on which dates since May 1997 (a) ministers, (b) its officials and (c) officials from Scottish Natural Heritage have met Angus Council to discuss proposals for the Cairngorms National Park.

Allan Wilson: The Executive holds no central record of such discussions. Local authorities and the Executive have, however, been involved in a number of groups convened by the Cairngorms Partnership and others to discuss the proposed National Park and related issues.

  Specific information about discussions undertaken by Scottish Natural Heritage should be sought from that body.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are available to a minister to hold the board of a non-departmental public body (NDPB) accountable when the minister is dissatisfied with the operation of the NDPB.

Mr Andy Kerr: The boards of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are directly accountable to Scottish ministers. It is for ministers to decide what action to take if they are dissatisfied with the operation of a particular NDPB taking into account the specific circumstances.

Planning

Mr Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will maintain its existing policy of resisting out-of-town developments that adversely affect existing town centres.

Hugh Henry: Planning policy regarding out-of-town retail development is to be found in National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 8: Town Centres and Retailing. Through the use of a sequential approach, the policy contained in NPPG 8 gives priority to town centres for the location of new developments. While the policy does not exclude developments in other locations, they have to be subject to a rigorous examination, part of which includes the effect on existing town centres.

  A copy of NPPG 8 is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 1081).

Population

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population of Scotland was in each year for which figures are available, also expressed as a percentage of the total population of the United Kingdom.

Dr Richard Simpson: Population estimates for the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Comparable population estimates back to 1971 for the United Kingdom and Scotland can be found on the ONS website at the following address:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/xsdataset.asp?vlnk=5644&More=Y

  In 1971 the population of Scotland was 9.4 per cent of the UK population compared to 8.6 per cent in 2000.

  Population estimates for Scotland dating back to 1855 are given in Table 1.1 of Registrar General for Scotland’s Annual Report 2000 published by the General Register Office for Scotland in 2001. A copy was sent to each member of the Scottish Parliament in July 2001 and is also available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 15009.

Population

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the migration flows (a) in, (b) out and (c) net were for Scotland in each year for which figures are available, also expressed as a percentage of the equivalent figures for the United Kingdom.

Dr Richard Simpson: Information on flows of international migrants for Scotland and the UK over the period 1991-2000 is published in Table 2.8 of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publication International Migration (2000 edition), which can be accessed on the ONS website at the following address:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=507&More=N.

  Over the decade international migrants to and from Scotland were, respectively, 5.2 and 7.8 per cent of the UK total.

  Migration between Scotland and the rest of the UK has not been included since it is difficult to define a suitable UK comparator.

Population

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed information is available on the destination of emigrants from Scotland and over what time period such information relates to.

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed information is available on the source of immigrants to Scotland and over what time period such information relates to.

Dr Richard Simpson: The 1991 Census is the most complete source of information on migrants into Scotland and their address one year earlier. This information is provided in the table. Similar information from the more detailed results of the 2001 Census is due to be published by March 2003.

  Information on the origin or destination of people migrating to or from Scotland is available from the International Passenger Survey (IPS). The IPS is a continuous voluntary sample survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which covers the principal air, sea, and channel tunnel routes between the UK and countries outside the British Isles. The latest summary information on the origin and destination of international migrants to and from Scotland in 2000 is published in Table 3.2 of the ONS publication International Migration, which can be accessed on the ONS website at:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=507andMore=N.

  Information on the number of people migrating to and from Scotland with other areas of the UK in 2000 is available in Table 5.2b of the ONS publication Key population and vital statistics, which can be accessed on the ONS website at:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=539andMore=N.

  Area of Origin and Sex of Residents of Scotland with Different Address One Year Before 1991 Census

  


Residents with Different Address One Year Before Census 
  



Total Migrants 
  



Area of origin 
  

Male 
  

Female 
  

Persons 
  



All areas of origin 
  

253,056 
  

265,357 
  

518,413 
  



Great Britain 
  

229,487 
  

244,268 
  

473,755 
  



England and Wales 
  

21,285 
  

20,035 
  

41,320 
  



England 
  

20,573 
  

19,373 
  

39,946 
  



North 
  

2,086 
  

2,055 
  

4,141 
  



Yorkshire and Humberside 
  

1,989 
  

1,910 
  

3,899 
  



East Midlands 
  

1,456 
  

1,331 
  

2,787 
  



East Anglia 
  

1,082 
  

990 
  

2,072 
  



South East 
  

8,352 
  

7,587 
  

15,939 
  



South West 
  

2,096 
  

1,914 
  

4,010 
  



West Midlands 
  

1,259 
  

1,252 
  

2,511 
  



North West 
  

2,253 
  

2,334 
  

4,587 
  



Wales 
  

712 
  

662 
  

1,374 
  



Scotland 
  

208,202 
  

224,233 
  

432,435 
  



Elsewhere in British Isles 
  

1,145 
  

1,161 
  

2,306 
  



Northern Ireland 
  

661 
  

621 
  

1,282 
  



Channel Islands and Isle of Man 
  

209 
  

239 
  

448 
  



Irish Republic (including Ireland, part not stated) 
  

275 
  

301 
  

576 
  



Commonwealth countries 
  

3,683 
  

3,728 
  

7,411 
  



Old Commonwealth 
  

1,881 
  

2,193 
  

4,074 
  



New Commonwealth 
  

1,802 
  

1,535 
  

3,337 
  



Africa 
  

411 
  

330 
  

741 
  



Caribbean 
  

125 
  

109 
  

234 
  



Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka 
  

413 
  

351 
  

764 
  



South East Asia 
  

567 
  

481 
  

1,048 
  



Cyprus, Gibraltar, Malta and Gozo 
  

166 
  

175 
  

341 
  



Remainder 
  

120 
  

89 
  

209 
  



Foreign 
  

7,436 
  

7,052 
  

14,488 
  



European Community (excluding British Isles) 
  

2,733 
  

2,666 
  

5,399 
  



Other Countries of Europe 
  

540 
  

434 
  

974 
  



Rest of the world 
  

4,163 
  

3,952 
  

8,115 
  



Origin not stated 
  

11,305 
  

9,148 
  

20,453

Population

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected Scottish population levels are over the period for which figures are available and how these compare with the equivalent figures for the United Kingdom.

Dr Richard Simpson: Population projections for the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Government Actuary, who also prepares population projections for Scotland at the request of, and in consultation with, the Registrar General for Scotland. The latest, 2000-based, projections for the UK and Scotland, up to 2040 are available on the Government Actuary Department’s website at the following addresses:

  Scotland: http://www.gad.gov.uk/population/2000/scotland/wsco005y.xls.

  UK: http://www.gad.gov.uk/population/2000/uk/wuk005y.xls.

  Population projections are based largely on past trends rather than policy based forecasts.

Population

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any projected population figures for Scotland covering the next 50 years.

Dr Richard Simpson: Population projections for Scotland are prepared by the Government Actuary at the request of, and in consultation with, the Registrar General for Scotland. The latest, 2000-based, projections for Scotland are available up until 2040 and can be accessed on the Government Actuary Department’s website at the following address:

  http://www.gad.gov.uk/population/2000/scotland/wsco005y.xls

  Population projections are based largely on past trends rather than policy based forecasts.

Roads

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities on the use of weedkiller along kerbs and roadsides.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has issued no guidance to local road authorities on the use of weedkiller along kerbs and roadsides. Advice published in 1997 jointly by the Scottish Office and COSLA, Rural Road Management and the Environment , remains Scottish Executive policy.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has agreed to any request by Amey Highways Ltd for funding to replace traffic lights on the A7 at Skippers Bridge, south of Langholm.

Lewis Macdonald: The replacement of the traffic light installation on the A7 at Skippers Bridge, south of Langholm will be included in a carriageway maintenance scheme programmed for 2003-04.

Roads

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether The Highland Council's annual capital allocation for transport is sufficient to ensure that the structural condition of its road network, including the strengthening of bridges and other road structures, is maintained to an acceptable level.

Lewis Macdonald: Highland Council's proposed single allocation for non-housing capital will rise to £23.2 million in financial year 2003-04, a cumulative increase over three years of 34.3%. Given that Highland Council is responsible for the local roads within its area, it is entirely a matter for the council to determine its spending priorities within this budget.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding for environmental protection and waste management announced by the Minister for Finance and Public Services in his Spending Review 2002 statement will constitute an increase in the budget of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has been allocated additional resources over the three-year period covered by the 2002 Spending Review of £11.2 million. This comprises an extra £3.3 million in 2003-04, £3.0 million in 2004-05 and £4.9 million in 2005-06 over and above the 2003-04 baseline of £25.86 million. These figures are indicative as they are subject to parliamentary approval.

Scottish Executive Websites

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to modify its website and improve the (a) search engine, (b) news release section and how news releases are archived, (c) searchability for publications and (d) list of links to other bodies and ensure that the site is regularly and speedily updated, for example when it publishes documents.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive website is undergoing a programme of continuous development under the direction of the Web Editorial Board. The aim of this programme is to ensure that the website conforms to the Framework for Information Age Government Websites and adheres to the best practice guidance for government websites promulgated by the Office of the e-Envoy.

  A new search engine for the website is due to be implemented by the end of October. This will significantly enhance the present search facilities.

  The news section of the website has been significantly redeveloped over the last year, introducing additional features such as the Junior Executive pages and the use of multimedia. A news archive is also in operation and we plan, early next year, to integrate the current archive for First Minister’s Questions, Media Briefings and Weekly Review material with the news archive. From November, we also plan to begin introducing new topic page sections and topic mini-home pages to aid navigation through the website. These will be based on themes rather than on departmental portfolios, and will link to the current news and publication listings on the website.

  The functionality for searching publications has recently been improved through a facility to order them by date, subject and title headings. There is also a keyword search facility and users can browse by subject, display the most recent publications, and order publications by title. The new site-wide search engine will further enhance users' ability to search for and retrieve publications.

  Our links strategy currently focuses on reciprocal links to other relevant public sector organisations and we have work in hand to develop that strategy further.

  We have just developed and introduced a new website publishing system to ensure that we collect metadata as specified by the e-Government Metadata Standard (e-GMS) and to enable the author to select the time and date for publication on to the website.

Sexual Offences

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Crime Survey 2000 gathered any data on sexual victimisation.

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it currently has on the incidence and prevalence of sexual victimisation.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Crime Survey asks about all incidents of personal victimisation. Household surveys such as the Scottish Crime Survey are not, however, ideal for picking up sensitive information such as sexual victimisations. The small number of incidents picked up by the Scottish Crime Survey are not, therefore, published as they would be likely to provide misleading estimates.

  Crimes of a sexual nature reported to and recorded by the police are published annually in the Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin on Recorded Crime in Scotland. Research suggests, however, that not all incidents will be reported to the police.

Sport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a request from Stirling Council for financial support towards the hosting of the World Medical and Health Games in 2003 and whether it will give any such support.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive was approached to support the hosting of the World Medical and Health Games in Stirling in 2003. We were not able, however, to offer any financial support for the event.

Waste Management

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue new guidelines to local authorities restricting the signing of contracts for the disposal of waste through landfill or incineration.

Ross Finnie: In general, local authorities are independent corporate bodies whose powers and duties are set out in statute law. Within the law they are free to exercise discretion in carrying out their functions and managing their day-to-day business. Ministers cannot intervene, except in particular circumstances where the law specifies that they may do so.

  However, in respect of waste management, the Executive expects authorities to take full account of the National Waste Strategy in their operations. The Executive will only provide grant support from the Strategic Waste Fund to authorities that intend to implement waste practices that accord with Area Waste Plans. Hence the Executive would not expect authorities to enter into contracts for landfill and incineration which are not in line with the relevant plans.

  In order to ensure that the amount of waste sent to landfill is reduced, the Executive intends to introduce a system of landfill allowances for Scottish local authorities and plans to issue a consultation paper on this shortly. The proposal is that authorities will only be permitted to landfill the amount of biodegradable municipal waste for which they have allowances.

Water Authorities

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each West of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (i) finance and administration staff, (ii) operational technical staff and (iii) planning technical staff.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each East of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (i) finance and administration staff, (ii) operational technical staff and (iii) planning technical staff.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff (a) were employed in each North of Scotland Water Authority office at the time of the transfer of its duties to Scottish Water and (b) are currently employed in Scottish Water offices in the area formerly covered by the authority, broken down in each case into (i) finance and administration staff, (ii) operational technical staff and (iii) planning technical staff.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. The Chief Executive's response is as follows:

  Scottish Water does not maintain comparative information on staffing of the former authorities and Scottish Water in the form and to the level of detail asked. At 1 April 2002, when Scottish Water took over from the former authorities, 2,222 staff were transferred in from the West of Scotland Water Authority, 1,558 from the east, and 1,632 from the north. Since then Scottish Water has been gradually integrating its workforce into its own management structure. At 31 August the equivalent numbers serving in the areas covered by the former authorities were 2,090 in the west, 1,551 in the east, and 1,556 in the north.

Water Safety

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-22088 by Ross Finnie on 4 February 2002, whether any further information is available concerning implementation of recommendations by the Scottish Agricultural College in the Loch Katrine catchment.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. The Chief Executive’s response is as follows:

  The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) report advised that 80 per cent of the estimated potential numbers of cryptosporidium oocysts entering the Katrine water supply system during high risk periods were associated with all wild and farm animals in the catchment area of Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet and Glen Finglas reservoir. This covers a land mass of some 27,000 acres.

  In addition, there is potential risk of contamination associated with the 11 farms that carry out agricultural activities along the 26-mile route of the aqueducts from Loch Katrine down to the Milngavie water treatment works.

  Scottish Water has held meetings with landowners to discuss possible changes in farming practice to try to reduce risk as far as possible. In addition, a number of the recommendations made by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) for improvements to farm and water management have been implemented. These include the removal of the sheep waste, installing fences to prevent grazing near the water and changes to the use of Loch Arklet and Glen Finglas reservoir.

  The SAC reviewed the actions taken and estimated that the potential movement of oocysts will be reduced by 95% or greater as a result of the actions taken.

  To build on the work from the SAC report we will look at any further viable risk minimisation measures to reduce the risk of cryptosporidium.

  Any further necessary works will be developed into an action plan. Scottish Water’s prime objective is to protect and provide clean, wholesome water to the 700,000 people of Greater Glasgow.